Description
This classic apple pie features a flaky double crust and a spiced apple filling that’s bursting with flavor. Using a blend of baking apples and aromatic spices, the filling is allowed to soften naturally before baking to perfection. The result is a golden, bubbling pie with tender apples and a perfectly crisp crust—undeniably the best apple pie you’ll ever make.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 1 (9-inch) double crust homemade pie crust (our recipe makes 2 crusts: one for top and one for bottom)
Filling
- 4 ¼ pounds (1925g) baking apples (about 8 large apples)
- ½ cup (100g) light or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons (16g) cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon (14g) butter
- 1 large egg (for egg wash)
Instructions
- Prepare the apples: Peel, quarter, and core the apples. Then slice them into ¼-inch slices and place them into a very large bowl.
- Mix the pie filling: Scatter the brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, and nutmeg evenly over the apples. Toss well to combine all ingredients, then set the mixture aside on the counter for 1 hour to let the apples soften and flavors meld.
- Roll out the bottom crust: Using half of your pie dough, sprinkle flour on your work surface and rolling pin to prevent sticking. Roll the dough from the center outward, lifting and turning the dough by a quarter turn regularly, until it fits a 9-inch pie dish with an overhang of 1 ½ to 2 inches larger than the dish.
- Add the crust to the pie dish: Carefully place the rolled dough into the pie dish, avoiding stretching. Trim the edges to leave about a 1-inch overhang. Refrigerate this bottom crust until ready to fill.
- Roll out the top crust: Roll out the remaining dough to a similar size and transfer it to a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Keep it refrigerated until needed.
- Prepare the oven: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper to bake the pie on, catching any drips.
- Add the apples to the pie: Toss the cornstarch with the apples to help thicken the filling. Transfer most or all apples into the bottom crust, packing them tightly so the apples mound just to or slightly above the crust edge. Reserve any excess apples if necessary.
- Add the apple juices to the pie: Pour the accumulated juices from the bowl over the packed apples in the crust, leaving behind excess liquid if more than ¾ to 1 cup to prevent sogginess.
- Dot apples with butter: Cut the tablespoon of butter into about 8 small pieces and evenly dot them over the apple filling for added richness.
- Add the top crust: Place the second pie dough round over the filling, or cut into strips to create a lattice top. If using a single top crust, cut slits in the dough to vent steam during baking.
- Crimp the edges: Trim any excess dough, fold the overhang under itself to create a thick rim, and crimp it firmly with your fingers or a fork to seal the pie.
- Add the egg wash: Whisk the egg with a tablespoon of water and brush lightly over the top crust to enhance browning and add shine.
- Bake the apple pie: Place the pie on the prepared baking sheet and bake for about 75 minutes, rotating the pie occasionally for even browning. If the crust browns too quickly, cover the pie loosely with a foil dome to prevent burning.
- Check for doneness: The pie is done when juices bubble through the vents or a thermometer inserted in the center reads 195°F. If the apples still feel too crunchy after piercing the pie, bake longer as needed.
- Cool the baked pie: Let the pie cool completely for at least 2 hours before slicing to allow the filling to thicken and avoid soggy slices.
Notes
- This recipe skips precooking the apples, relying on a resting period with sugar, salt, and spices to soften the fruit before baking.
- Any style of pie crust can be used, but a flaky homemade crust yields the best results.
- Reserve extra apples if your filling is too full to prevent overflow during baking.
- If the liquid from the apples exceeds ¾ to 1 cup, leave some behind to avoid a watery filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 pie)
- Calories: 583
- Sugar: 50.4g
- Sodium: 226.4mg
- Fat: 25.2g
- Saturated Fat: 15.4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 88.6g
- Fiber: 4.2g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 64.8mg
